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FURIOUS BAILLIE REACTS AS LABOUR DEMAND STURGEON TAKES THE BLAME FOR ‘UNLAWFUL ACTIONS’

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Photo by Jamie Simpson/Marie Curie. MSPs give their support to Marie Curie’s largest fundraising appeal month, the iconic Great Daffodil Appeal, at the Scottish Parliament today (17 Mar). Supporting the Great Daffodil Appeal, which started in 1986, by donating and wearing a daffodil pin in March helps Marie Curie to continue providing vital palliative and end of life care and support. The leading end of life charity cared for over 9,000 terminally ill people across Scotland in their own homes and at its two Scottish hospices during 2020/21 – its highest number of patients on record since Marie Curie was established in 1948. MEDIA RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Scottish political support helps Marie Curie’s Great Daffodil Appeal flourish MSPs, lend their support to Marie Curie’s largest fundraising appeal month, the iconic Great Daffodil Appeal, at the Scottish Parliament today (17 Mar). Following a parliamentary reception last night, MSPs met with staff and volunteers from Marie Curie, to hear about the care and support that is provided to people living with terminal illness, their families and carers across Scotland, especially throughout Covid-19. The leading end of life charity cared for over 9,000 terminally ill people across Scotland in their own homes and at its two Scottish hospices during 2020/21 – its highest number of patients on record since Marie Curie was established in 1948. Supporting the Great Daffodil Appeal, which started in 1986, by donating and wearing a daffodil pin in March helps Marie Curie to continue providing vital palliative and end of life care and support. Ellie Wagstaff, Policy and Public Affairs Manager, Marie Curie, said: “With each daffodil worn, there is a personal story, and by donating and wearing your own daffodil, it allows us to continue being there for terminally ill people, their families and carers right across Scotland when they need support the most. “As a result of the pandemic, where hospital admissions for non-covid patients were reduced, there has been a 40% increase in deaths at home across the country, and Marie Curie’s Community Nursing Service experienced almost a 15% uplift in demand during 2020-21 as it continued supporting terminally ill people at home. “There has been a significant physical, emotional and financial impact on patients, their families and carers, and health and social care professionals during Covid-19 which will be long-lasting for years to come. “We must take key learnings from the pandemic to ensure that palliative and end of life care services, including bereavement support, both now and in the future are fully equipped to meet terminally ill people’s needs, as we know that by 2040, 10,000 more people will be dying with palliative care needs each year, with two thirds of all deaths likely to happen in community settings.” To find out more about the Great Daffodil Appeal, visit mariecurie.org.uk/daffodil Ends Notes to Editors Marie Curie's annual flagship fundraising appeal, the Great Daffodil Appeal is taking place throughout March. The money raised helps to support the charity's nurses, doctors, and hospice staff so they can continue working giving expert care to people at the end of life, and their families. For more information on how to fundraise or donate, visit: mariecurie.org.uk/daffodil About Marie Curie Marie Curie is the UK's leading end of life charity. The charity provides essential nursing and hospice care for people with any terminal illness, a free support line and a wealth of information and support on all aspects of dying, death and bereavement. It is the largest charity funder of palliative and end of life care research in the UK. Marie Curie is committed to sharing its expertise to improve quality of care and ensuring that everyone has a good end of life experience. Marie Curie is calling for recognition and sustainable funding of end of life care and bereavement support. Natalie Davidson Senior PR & Communications Officer Marie Curie Care and support through terminal illness E: natalie.davidson@mariecurie.org.uk M: 07753258625 Media enquiries: media@mariecurie.org.uk (office hours) /0845 073 8699. For urgent out of hours media enquiries please call.

By Lucy Ashton 

Jackie Baillie has demanded Nicola Sturgeon faces up to the “unlawful, unreasonable and irrational” decisions her Government made by discharging patients from hospital to care homes at the height of the pandemic which cost lives.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar raised the issue at First Minister’s Questions this week following a ruling in England that the discharge of untested patients was unlawful prompting the opportunity for those in Scotland who lost loved ones to launch legal action against the Scottish Government.

The Labour Party, of which Ms Baillie is deputy leader, argues that families shouldn’t have to go through a long and emotionally draining legal process to be afforded an admission from Nicola Sturgeon of her Government’s mistakes.

Jackie Baillie MSP and Dumbarton care homes, Castleview and Crosslet House.

West Dunbartonshire care homes were among the worst affected by Covid. As at May last year, there were 16 Covid-related deaths at Castle View and Crosslet House and Balquhidder lost 11 residents each to Covid. The numbers may well have increased since however but haven’t been made publicly available.

Public Health Scotland data also previously showed that untested patients had been sent to local facilities throughout spring 2020 including seven untested patients discharged to HC-One’s Castle View care home at the height of the pandemic.

Dumbarton constituency MSP and Scottish Labour’s health spokesperson, Jackie Baillie said: “It is extremely disappointing that despite this landmark ruling in England, Nicola Sturgeon is failing to admit there were unlawful mistakes made by her government.

“They had plenty of information about this virus at their disposal but they chose to send people either untested or who tested positive for Covid to care homes where the virus took hold and, in some cases, caused multiple fatalities.

“As early as the 4th of February 2020, Scottish Government advisers were suggesting that asymptomatic transmission was a possibility.

“Yet by the 26th of March their guidance still said people being discharged from hospital did not routinely need confirmation of a negative Covid test.

“And as late as the 17th of April, the Health Secretary was saying there was not a strong case to test patients before discharge – despite testing guidelines in England changing on the 15th of April.

“Shockingly, by the time the Scottish Government changed their guidelines on the 21st of April, nearly 3,000 untested people and 75 known positive cases had already been transferred into care homes across Scotland, including in West Dunbartonshire and Helensburgh and Lomond.

 “This was a shameful, unforgivable, criminal act that cost lives and those are the words of the families affected.

“They have been through the heartbreak of losing a loved one and many of them were unable to be with them in their final moments due to stringent restrictions on visiting being in place to prevent the spread of Covid.

“It would be shameful to force those families to relive that heartache all over again, being dragged through the courts with the emotional toll that comes with it, having to spend thousands of pounds in order to get Nicola Sturgeon to admit the truth.

“I demand that she accepts her Government’s actions were unlawful, unreasonable, irrational and cost lives to spare these families further agony.” 

Jackie Baillie has demanded Nicola Sturgeon faces up to the unlawful, unreasonable and irrational decisions her Government made by discharging patients from hospital to care homes at the height of the pandemic which cost lives.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, pictured right,  raised the issue at First Minister’s Questions this week following a ruling in England that the discharge of untested patients was unlawful prompting the opportunity for those in Scotland who lost loved ones to launch legal action against the Scottish Government.

The Party, of which Ms Baillie is Deputy Leader, argue that families shouldn’t have to go through a long and emotionally draining legal process to be afforded an admission from Nicola Sturgeon of her Government’s mistakes.

West Dunbartonshire care homes were among the worst affected by Covid. As at May last year, there were 16 Covid-related deaths at Castle View and Crosslet House and Balquhidder lost 11 residents each to Covid. The numbers may well have increased since however haven’t been made publicly available.

Public Health Scotland data also previously showed that untested patients had been sent to local facilities throughout spring 2020 including seven untested patients discharged to HC-One’s Castle View care home at the height of the pandemic.

Dumbarton constituency MSP and Scottish Labour’s health spokesperson, Jackie Baillie said: “It is extremely disappointing that despite this landmark ruling in England, Nicola Sturgeon is failing to admit there were unlawful mistakes made by her government.

“They had plenty of information about this virus at their disposal but they chose to send people either untested or who tested positive for Covid to care homes where the virus took hold and, in some cases, caused multiple fatalities.

“As early as the 4th of February 2020, Scottish Government advisers were suggesting that asymptomatic transmission was a possibility.

“Yet by the 26th of March their guidance still said people being discharged from hospital did not routinely need confirmation of a negative Covid test.

“And as late as the 17th of April, the Health Secretary was saying there was not a strong case to test patients before discharge – despite testing guidelines in England changing on the 15th of April.

“Shockingly, by the time the Scottish Government changed their guidelines on the 21st of April, nearly 3,000 untested people and 75 known positive cases had already been transferred into care homes across Scotland, including in West Dunbartonshire and Helensburgh and Lomond.

“This was a shameful, unforgivable, criminal act that cost lives and those are the words of the families affected.

“They have been through the heartbreak of losing a loved one and many of them were unable to be with them in their final moments due to stringent restrictions on visiting being in place to prevent the spread of Covid.

“It would be shameful to force those families to relive that heartache all over again, being dragged through the courts with the emotional toll that comes with it, having to spend thousands of pounds in order to get Nicola Sturgeon to admit the truth.

“I demand that she accepts her Government’s actions were unlawful, unreasonable, irrational and cost lives to spare these families further agony.”

Top picture: Anas Sarwar and Jackie Baillie campaigning for Marie Curie Nurses.

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